Mentoring in schools is now very common and school-info4u.com encourage parents and carers to seek this kind of support for their child if it is available.
A mentor is someone who your child can look up to and view as a role model.
They are experienced and will offer support and guidance to your child.
The benefits of mentoring in schools
A mentor will bring with them a wealth of experience and skills.
They will:
- Accept your child for who they are.
- Value your child’s opinions.
- Understand and empathise with your child.
- Have the capacity to relate to your child.
- Empower your child to follow their dreams and be whatever they want to be.
- Create and maintain a trusting relationship with your child.
- Focus on your child’s strengths and give them opportunities to show them.
- Have the ability and skills to influence your child in a positive way.
- Help your child to develop and maintain a healthy sense of self-esteem and confidence.
- Be an excellent listener and will be sensitive to the needs of your child.
- Be sensitive to bereavement, health issues and family breakdown, etc and not allow their personal views and opinions to influence their judgement.
- Work closely with teachers, senior members of staff, support staff and the SENCO- special educational needs co-coordinator.
- Attend parents/open evenings, case conferences and exclusion or governors hearings. They also attend most school meetings.
- Work with supporting services within the community. These may include voluntary groups, refugee support services, bereavement support groups and substance misuse support groups etc.
- Be an important link between you, your child and teachers. They will help you to resolve misunderstandings with your child's school. They will be able to deal with complex, stressful and urgent situations that your child may become involved in.
It will be an advantage if the mentor comes from the same community as your child because they will be in a position to understand cultural expectations.
Ultimately, a mentor will help your child to overcome barriers to learning and this will enable your child to fulfill their potential at school.
You will find that mentors have an extremely positive attitude to life generally and will not be people who accept defeat, preferring instead to search for innovative solutions to any given situation.
They simply enjoy life, and will encourage your child to do the same.
‘If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it’. Margaret Fuller
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